Ron Onesti hosts Cornerstones of Rock Concert for 3rd Time at the Arcada Theatre

This story is one for the archives! On Valentine's Day 2017, the ultimate entertainment producer and grand host, our very good friend, Ron Onesti, welcomed Chicago natives back into his "home stage" in St. Charles, the one and only Arcada Theatre.

Thanks to Pamela Pulice of the Dick Biondi Film Project for sharing a photo of the marquee.

The music of Jimy Sohns, Jim Peterik, Ronnie Rice, New Colony Six, the Cryan Shames, The Ides of March, Colin Peterik, Ted Aliota, and The Buckinghams was heard to another sold-out crowd and even the Dick Biondi Film Project team was on hand, doing live broadcasts from the Arcada for people to enjoy on Facebook. Snapshots of each group performing were shared so people who couldn't get there would be included in the fun.

Ron writes as well as he produces concerts, so we'll share the first three paragraphs and then give you the link so you can read the original article for its own beautiful self. Ron, as always thanks so much for being the consummate host and for helping everyone relive our teenage years one more time!

"Another edition of "Cornerstones of Rock: American Garage" at The Arcada Theatre is over, and boy, what a night it was! This was the fifth production of this historic presentation, and fans still could not get enough.
This show featured those amazing garage rock pioneers from Chicago who kicked off a national sensation that helped 1950s-era rock 'n' roll make the transition to the harder edged rock of the Sixties.
Being from the neighborhoods of inner city Chicago myself, I know exactly where these bands came from, and how they evolved. Summer nights, garage doors open in the alleys with 55-gallon metal garbage cans surrounding a splintered-wood telephone pole. This was in 1964, 1965, 1966. The British invasion was in full swing and local bands like the Buckinghams and the New Colony Six were planning their American music counterattacks."

Your words ring true and are poignant:

"Within our packed houses of 900+ music lovers are individuals with major family issues -- maybe the loss of a loved one, problems at work or financial woes. But for a couple of hours, they are able to forget it all, dance and sing to the music of their younger years. How cool is that?"

To read Ron's full story, visit: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170217/insights/170219040/

Comments

Remembering Frank Tesinsky, Beloved Chicago Musician, Key to The Buckinghams' Characteristic Sound

Each time the opening notes to “Kind of a Drag” come on the air, whether it’s your car radio, your phone, or choice of streaming media, the first 23 notes you hear inform you immediately that not only are you hearing “Kind of a Drag,” but you are hearing The Buckinghams. That instant recognition, in turn, is thanks to the talent of musician Frank Tesinsky, who arranged the iconic tune for producers Dan Belloc and Carl Bonafede in a 1966 recording session in Chicago’s Chess Studios. The Buckinghams family was greatly saddened to learn of Frank’s passing on November 9. Catherine Johns, his wife of 32 years, was a beloved part of his life and part of Chicago radio as well. In February 1967 "Kind of a Drag" was #1 on the Billboard charts for two weeks, and it forever defined the sound of five young men from the northside of Chicago. Just 27 notes, right? And yet, it defined the magic of what would become known as “the horn sound” that The Buckinghams are b...

What Celebrating 50 Years Since Reaching #1 on Billboard Means in the World of The Buckinghams

Everyone who is a fan of the band The Buckinghams can easily name all the songs that were Top 10 hits, Top 20 hits, and Billboard Top 100 chartmakers. You have several songs that have personal, special meaning for you. But the song that took the native Chicagoans out of the basements of the band members' homes was the one USA Records released last, almost as an afterthought. "Kind of a Drag" has the distinction of being the song that took this band to the national level. Many wonderful bands are part of Chicago history, and they are as beloved today as they were in their time. But this one song, "Kind of a Drag" took flight and went to #1 on Billboard 50 years ago today, February 18, 1967. Imagine what it was like for five young men to hold a copy of "Billboard" in their hands. For a few years, Carl and Jon-Jon had gone to the newsstand each week, buying a single copy of "Billboard" and reading it cover to cover. These days you hear about ...

In Memory of John Poulos, March 31, 1947 - March 26, 1980

Five days before his 33rd birthday, we lost John Poulos, a dear friend who was like a brother to us, as well as The Buckinghams’ drummer. Often described as the heartbeat of our band, he was known to most Buckinghams’ fans of the 60s simply as Jon-Jon. To know John was to love him. With his outgoing personality, he never met a stranger. His talent is remembered best in the style he displayed on drum fills and riffs on our hits, including “Don’t You Care,” “Hey Baby, They’re Playing Our Song,” and “Kind of a Drag.” It’s not surprising that Jon-Jon was included as one of the Top 10 drummers in Modern Drummer Magazine. Contemporary MySpace profiles of aspiring amateur and professional musicians today include the name John Poulos among their musical influences. That’s an honor both fitting and accurate for a musician who was truly one of a kind. Nick and I recall that one of John’s own musical influences was Bobby Elliot, drummer for The Hollies, whose signature beret and tossing of his he...

The Buckinghams in Concert

Search This Blog